Zephyr Teachout on Immigration

Immigrants are a pillar of our economy

Immigrants are woven into New York's social fabric and are a pillar of our economy. We invite them to come work in our cities, and our state is more rich & vibrant because they take us up on it. Yet many of our state policies regularly deny undocumented
residents access to basic services like higher education and banking, as well as the right to drive a car or borrow a library book--even though they pay their share of taxes. This is not just unfair to immigrants--it makes us all worse off.

One group affected deeply is undocumented students, who must routinely forego higher education because they cannot access the state's Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). Without papers, there is no aid.

Another basic problem confronting undocumented
residents is that they cannot get a driver's license. This forces them into situations where they are breaking the law every time they drop-off a child at school or make a trip to the hardware store, and fosters a culture of fear of law enforcement.

Honor the dignity of all immigrants

Teachout opened a new front against Cuomo with criticism of his own choice for Lieutenant Governor, Kathy Hochul, who is best known in the state for her 2007 battle against a plan to issue drivers licenses to undocumented immigrants.

Teachout said that in a state that typically focuses on "honoring the dignity of all immigrants" she is "disappointed" in Hochul. She described Hochul as someone "who has not traditionally been a friend of immigrant communities."